From Sid Grant History of Coalfields Soccer
It was late in 1906, when the Hetton Coal Mining complex (Newcastle) sent a party of workmen to develop the site at Hebburn Colliery near Weston.
Among this group were quite a number of soccer enthusiasts from the Adamstown area. One, Ed Bartley, a former Rosebud official, and one of five brothers who all wore with distinction the Rosebud colours, persuaded a group to form a soccer club. It was rather an unofficial sort of meeting.
At this stage, the Rosebuds were a divided club, so Bartley knew he could muster a few discontents to strengthen his Weston team. Bartley submitted an application to the N.D.B.F.A. for a senior and 2nd Junior grade teams. On his application he submitted the following details -
1. Name of club -Weston Advance.
2. Colours -Black with red hoops.
3. Ground -Weston Cricket Ground.
4. Secretary -Ed Bartley.
5. Players Registered -
Senior team: A. Elliott, A Bailey, A Bartley, A Ward, A Sneddon, Jack Sneddon, Jas Sneddon, A. Rae, E. Bartley, F. Bartley, J. Kemp, M. Cook, D. Roach.
2nd Juniors: J. Cook, W. Dodd, D. Fraser, H. Kembrey, W. J. Kembrey, J. Freeburn, W. Scott, J. Gemmell, C. Masters, M. Ramsay, W. McDonald, W. Jarvie, R. Truscott, T. Wardrop, C. French, G.Turnbull, J. Robinson, J. Oglethorpe, W. Sneddon, W. Ashman, W.Davidson.
The senior grade only attracted three entries, Rosebuds, Royal Arthur, Weston.
For the Ellis Cup, only two entries were received -Weston and Royal Arthur (Broadmeadow).
The association decided that three matches be played - one on each home ground and the third on a neutral ground.
The first tie, played at Weston, ended in a 1 all draw and over 500 people welcomed the new sport. Ashman scored Weston's goal.
In the second clash at Broadmeadow, the scores were level at 2 all with five minutes left to play. The locals scored again but uproar resulted as neutrals argued that the ball had missed the Weston upright, to be kicked back into play by a spectator and snapped up by a Broadmeadow player and kicked into net. Pandemonium broke out and Weston left the field in protest.
The association conducted an inquiry and refused Weston's demand for a replay. Their scorers were A. Rae and D. Roach. The Weston club then withdrew from the series.
The club had grown in depth as a strong 3rd grade team comprising H. Jewell, W. Hailstone, G. Turnbull, T. Elliott, D. Kembrey, G. Embleton, R. Dixon, E. France, J. Burt, E. Davis, M. Collins, W. James, John Wardrop and Alec Gemmell played a series of fruitful friendlies against Pelaw Main, Kurri Royals, Heddon Greta, East Greta and Greta. The club officials showed ambition by entering the Gardiner Cup (Statewide) along with their old rivals, Broadmeadow.
Their first tie took them to Sydney where they put up a keen fight before bowing out to Pyrmont by 2 to 0.
This match was of some historical interest as it was the first time a Coalfield team had entered this Statewide series.
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